Hundreds of San Diegans Rally and March for Trayvon Martin

As many as 500 San Diegans rallied in Balboa Park seeking justice for murdered Florida teen Trayvon Martine, shot just one month ago. Protesters then marched to downtown San Diego and held another rally at the Court house. “No justice! No peace!” was one of the loudest chants as the crowd moved through the streets. After the rally at the courthouse steps, candles were lit to continue the vigil.

Monday’s event was the second protest in San Diego in memory of Trayvon. One woman at the San Diego rally said, “This is our Emmet Till”. Till was a young African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after reportedly flirting with a white woman. Till’s murder is noted as a pivotal event motivating the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Protests, rallies, and marches were held across the country as the shooting with racial overtones reverberated coast to coast, including Los Angeles.

Here is the NBC San Diego report:

Hundreds of San Diegans gathered at Balboa Park Monday evening to march for Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old teenager who was killed in Florida last month by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer who claims he acted in self-defense.

Martin’s controversial killing has garnered widespread national attention, with people marching in rallies across the country in honor of the teen.

In San Diego, approximately 500 demonstrators protested Martin’s death by marching together from Balboa Park to the Hall of Justice.

The marchers were riled up, chanting and cheering as they listened to speakers talk about injustice and the life of young Martin.

NBCSanDiego’s Brandi Powell spoke to demonstrators who said they were angry that young African American men are still being profiled. A 10-year-old boy at the rally expressed fear, saying the killing scares him because if it can happen to Martin, it could happen to him too.

Adults at the march expressed their condolences to Martin’s parents, calling the killing “unjustifiable.” Some also said they expected negative news to come out about the teen, such as the Associated Press report on Monday about how Martin was suspended from school when traces of marijuana were found in an empty plastic bag in his backpack.

After the group marched to the Hall of Justice, there were more speeches and the crowd held a candlelight vigil for the teen.

Related

As always, thanks to the Ocean Beach folks for keeping all of us more thoroughly informed. The LA demo report was very important.
Not much going on with the 1%ers over the gunning down of another brother. No Justice, No Peace? That’s a stretch among the privileged…they have their peace and armed might dealing with the Trayvon’s throughout the world. This death culture all begins and ends with the owners of Wall Street and Zucotti Park. Pulling the trigger themselves is distasteful and an inconvenience, hence Zimmerman and so many other sociopath’s. The discovery of the Americas is still going on. But all these righteous demos are giving them, the 1%ers, pause because we are uniting and they know what awaits them. Spike Lees movie “do the right thing” played the song “fight the power”—it’s the one thing us folks didn’t do…but that is changing, too.

The sole eyewitness to the scuffle, the guy whose backyard this happened in, has maintained since day one he saw a guy in a white hoodie (martin) on top of a guy in a red sweater (zimmerman) beating the guy up pretty badly. The guy in the red shirt was screaming “help me”. The witness yelled at him to stop, ran inside and called 911, while he was on the phone he heard one shot, then looked out and said the guy who had been on top was now lying on the ground dead.
Police reports note Zimmerman had a broken nose and was bleeding from the face and back of the head, and had mud and grass stains on his back.
Those looking for an “Emmit Till” don’t want you to know any of this, or that Trayvor was suspended 5 months prior for graffiti and was found in possession of 13 pieces of probable stolen jewelry and a burglary tool. Or that a month ago he was suspended for a bag with traces of pot and a pot pipe. (relevant since they claim Zimmerman pursued Martin for being black, not as 911 tapes detail, acting like he was high on drugs and walking slowly, looking at houses)
They don’t want you to think George Zimmerman was lawfully acting as neighborhood watch in a crime ridden complex, saw a stranger acting suspiciously, and when he followed him and asked what he was doing, this 17 year old, 6’3″ football player punched him in the face, knocked him to the ground and proceeded to bash his head on the ground and was beating him senseless.
They want you to believe George Zimmerman called 911, asked for police to come, then stalked then confronted a little boy with Skittles, then proceeded to beat him senseless, then shoot him, knowing the police were right around the corner, all merely because he was black.
“No Justice! No Peace!”…
Can I add “No Brains!”?
I really am saddened for the future of this country, when so many people can form their opinions, and refuse to alter them, when they are based on almost no facts, but the mere ideology that white people hate blacks and want to kill them- and this opinion leads to black people wanting to kill whites. (see Black Panther bounty on Zimmerman’s head)

John, you are ignoring a whole bunch of other facts: Martin was on his cellphone with his GF talking about being stalked; Zimmerman was told to not follow Martin during the 911 call; Martin weighs 140 pounds and Zimmerman 250 pounds. You are mouthing “facts” leaked out by the police after their behavior around this incident has been so terrible. They are attempting to change the story – and you are buying into it hook, line, and stinker. Another thing you missed: the detective wanted to arrest Zimmerman the night of the incident.

Sigh, some lame talking points there.
The cell phone call was cut off as the scuffle began, there is nothing she has to offer that justifies Martin’s assault and battery upon Zimmerman.
Zimmerman was told “we don’t need you to do that” from a civilian 911 dispatcher who is not a sworn peace officer and thus cannot issue lawful orders a citizen must follow.
Martin is a 6’3″ football player, Zimmerman at 5’9 250 lbs has a BMI considered morbidly obese. See top left, there’s your “little boy”:

Here is the interview with the eyewitness the morning after the shooting:

Is that television station involved in your grand racist conspiracy too? The crime happened right in that man’s yard, he’s the guy who called 911 first during the fight, and he all but repeated what he said in that article during the call. You say “After their behavior… was so terrible” but here we have this eyewitness way back when backing Zimmerman. Your point is dead wrong.
The facts were filed the night of the incident. The changes to the story are by those looking for another “Emmit Till”.
Zimmerman’s story is backed by an eyewitness and physical evidence of his condition.
What evidence do YOU have that supports the absurd story that Zimmerman beat Martin up then shot him all the while knowing police were coming, merely because he was black?

John, okay, you wish to continue this: first, your first link doesn’t work; I checked out your second link, and your “eye-witness” (maybe cause he’s name is John that you believe him so much) saw only part of the altercation. It was 7pm, the light was fading; do you think anybody ever gets colors wrong in the passing light?

You quickly dismiss all evidence that contradicts your story, and then you act like this is your own evidence by saying “What evidence do YOU have….?” as if I’m the only one in the world that is saying that Zimmerman killed Martin without good cause.

Sounds like you’re very bitter about something. Sounds like you couldn’t possibly believe a story where a Black youth is killed by a racist. Why are you so quick to jump in support of Zimmerman? You obviously believe he is the victim here (and btw, you didn’t respond to the point where the detective on the case wanted to arrest George Z that night).

Anna you should know there is a distinction between being arrested, being held on charges, and being charged with a crime.

Zimmerman was placed under arrest the night of the killing. He was released without being charged pending the results of an investigation, as at that time there was little evidence to suggest his actions were not self defense under FL law, which does not allow them to arrest someone and just sort it out later if there is indication it was in self defense. (that’s kind of unusual, but it’s their laws, in CA he would likely have been in jail for several days) If evidence warrants charges being filed he will be arrested again, at which point he may make bail and be released while awaiting trial. They cannot arrest him and hold him for more than 72 hours without filing charges during the investigative process, which is what it seems critics demand. That’s unconstitutional.

People aren’t considering the brutal and uncomfortable fact was that night George Zimmerman would be considered the crime victim, an eyewitness testified to that fact and unless something impeaches that witnesses testimony or it’s proven Zimmerman assaulted Martin first, IMO that is where the case will remain under Florida law.

John- Zimmerman was arrested, not charged and released. The Sanford Police became a de facto judge and jury. How did the police know that Trayvon Martin (unarmed) wasn’t standing ground? I am not convinced that “there was little evidence to suggest his (Zimmerman’s) actions weren’t in self defense.

When you refer to “sorting it out later” you are talking about a jury trial. Were Zimmerman charged, he would still be deemed innocent until guilty, and he would be entitled to a trial of his peers.

But I will revise my original post- Zimmerman should be re-arrested and charged with manslaughter.

He was placed under arrest at the scene, handcuffed, transported to the police station, got out of the car still handcuffed, and was questioned. This is what the video shows.
By definition if you are handcuffed and placed in a car and taken in for questioning, you have been arrested.
If you are then taken to jail, you have been arrested and booked. They then have 72 hours to file charges.

Anna, you do understand that a reliable witness placed Martin on top of Zimmerman striking him repeatedly, right? That’s why police considered his actions self defense. What transpired before that would be speculative.
What do you mean about Martin “standing his ground”? There is NO provision in the law to assault and batter someone because they are following you, okay? It doesn’t matter if Zimmerman was following him all over taunting him with racist slurs and saying his momma was fat and ugly, you DON’T put your hands on someone, and you certainly can’t knock them down and pummel them.

First link worked for me, though it wasn’t that important. It shows a much older Trayvor Martin than ANY media site has run, the guy was a MAN. It also shows him sporting a gold grill, and giving a some kind of middle finger gangland sign, all that nasty stuff his parents insist he wasn’t about and Zimmerman couldn’t possibly have inferred by his appearance.
As for the second link, are you back pedaling here? You dismissed it earlier because the police supposedly changed it much later. Yet I showed it was that way all along.
As for showing part of the altercation, well yeah that’s right. While it would be nice to have an eyewitness showing the initial punch alleged to have been thrown by Martin, what the eyewitness does see is Martin on top of George Zimmerman bashing his head into the ground, and he is certain it is Zimmerman screaming like a child “Help Me” and not Trayvor Martin.
This supports Zimmerman’s story of self defense, does it not?
As for colors wrong, that’s rich. Red vs white.
And I didn’t comment on the detective arresting Zimmerman or not because it doesn’t alter the known evidence we have in front of us about what happened that night. If he or anyone else has evidence that refutes Zimmerman’s claims, you are again invited to produce it. Educate me, please.
Because mob rule as you seem to be part of with that comment about “as if I’m the only one in the world…..” is reprehensible. Okay so millions of people have it all wrong and think the potential for white devils to be evil is greater than the potential for corporate owned media to withhold details of an event to perpetuate a controversy to sell copy.
I don’t, at least I’m pretty sure so. I’ve spent quite a few hours in the last few days looking at this, have gleaned all the details I could, and I’m quite disgusted at people of all races who actually think fanning the flames of racism is supposed to accomplish something. It’s like they WANT to find racism where there is little or none. They’ll get their wish.
In the end, let’s look at the two versions of the story and see what fits:

Zimmerman describes a guy who is a stranger to him, acting “suspiciously”. Doesn’t really matter if he is or not. He follows the kid, gets out of his vehicle, they make contact. While Martin may feel harassed, all of Zimmermans’ actions till that point are in fact lawful. Martin, who is pissed he is being followed, says “you got a problem?” Zimmerman says “No”. Martin says now you do, and punches him in the face, knocks him down, and proceeds to give him a good beating. Zimmerman, helpless on his back, afraid for his life, pulls the trigger and it’s over.

The alternate you and yours are asking we believe, is that Zimmerman sees the guy, decides he’s sick of blacks in his world, and while following him, calls 911 and asks the police to come out, (presumably to have an audience for the lynching?) and gets out of his vehicle and pursues a young man who can surely run twice as fast as he can on a bad day. Knowing the police are right around the corner, somehow he catches this 6’3″ football player and starts to beat him, successfully enough that the “child” is screaming for his life- at which point Zimmerman inexplicably decides on top of the beating he’ll shoot him too, again, knowing police are near. All of this again, because of his hatred for blacks.

Does that make sense to you or is version number one more realistic? (we won’t get into how does Zimmerman’s nose get broken, head get bloody, shirt get grass stains, in number two?) And it calls the only eyewitness, whose yard the crime happened in, a liar. Why would Zimmerman call 911 and get all that on the record, and invite the police to potentially witness, his intent to lynch a black man?

If you differ with that version, what’s yours?

I have to admit I like to argue, especially when I’m sure I’m right, and I’m fighting a majority consensus using bad logic. I have a feeling I’ll be having some fun with this one.

The Media, the Sharptons, the Jacksons, etc, are taking you for a ride. It’s shameful.

John, to continue: just saw a video of the Sanford police station where Zimmerman gets out of the patrol car handcuffed. It played on msnbc tonight. There is no blood from the alleged nosebleed anywhere on his shirt; there are no signs of any injuries to the back of his head – you know, from having his head slammed on the ground repeatedly – as you say. Most of all is the incredible way the cops treat him, like a guy they know; he just killed someone, he’s left to wander around by himself, still handcuffed yes, and a cop does go through his jacket pockets, but having been inside a police station myself for something much smaller, it’s amazing the treatment Zimmerman gets from the handful of cops in the same rooms.

Point 2, your so-called “eye-witness” is a 13 year old who says ‘no way’ could Zimmerman be genuinely claiming ‘self-defense’. And it took police 8 days to come around and interview him. And it wasn’t his backyard either; the killing took place on a sidewalk amidst grass between two rows of condos or apartments.

(J0hn, why don’t you get upset about San Onofre or about the lack of jobs or the foreclosure crisis and scandal – why don’t you show the same passion for those issues that you show here?)

Before we move on to the next issue of the newly released tape, I’d like to see you go back to that second link and reread that . That eyewitness is not 13 years old, that is a second eyewitness other than “John”. Reiterating John’s testimony was given the night of the killing, he all but said exactly this in his 911 call, (he was the first witness to call in and his call has the screaming and gunshot in the background) was confirmed to this TV station the next day, never changed in any way.
Secondly can you comment on what version other than Zimmerman’s account you would like to theorize happened? It does matter because it’s going to demand that you, or more appropriately a prosecuter, is going to stand in front of a jury and tell them George Zimmerman called police, asked them to come out, and knowing they were just around the corner, proceeded to beat and shoot a minor for no other reason than the color of his skin.
I’d like to see you have an ability to accept well sourced facts and would like to know what you are accusing Zimmerman of doing before embarking on the adventure of opening this new can of worms.
(as for what I get upset about I’ve been a prolific commenter for about 3 years now? prolific to the point of wearing thin sometimes even. look around, I think you might even find some posts in San Onofre articles- I’m sure of it. )

So Zimmerman is clearly liable because he tried to act like a cop, and when it didn’t work out, someone ended up getting shot. IMHO this is not at all complicated. The real problem is the law allowing random schmucks to carry guns and behave like pseudo-cops.

If it happened to someone in your family, John, you’d be pissed. Anyone would.

Zimmerman said “these ass****s always get away”. Unless there is some anatomical difference in the races I am unaware of, you’ve got the story wrong and are merely repeating the race baiters’ fictional embellishments.

1. Zimmerman is a neighborhood watch captain, that is a lawful activity and the fact he was brutally attacked by this young man while himself engaged in lawful activity in his own neighborhood suggests the apprehension which caused him to seek a concealed carry permit was justified.
(for the record I am anti-gun)
2. Zimmerman sees a strange black teen and the suspicious activity is well described to the police dispatcher. If it was fictional and merely profiling he’s going to be in a lot of trouble when they come out and it’s unfounded. Yet he’s called police 46 times in a year and it’s never come out they were without due cause- IN FACT it’s been revealed he has a record of stopping crimes and solving them.
3. The legal definition of stalking is hardly following a strange acting person in your own neighborhood for a few minutes. I would urge you to find the correct terminology for his actions and use it if you’re trying to be impartial.
4. “Confrontation escalates” is a vague way of dodging legalities. Zimmerman’s actions were perfectly lawful up to the point where we can’t ascertain how it got that way, but an eyewitness places him on on the ground and Martin battering him. I don’t buy into the idea Martin would have needed to assault Zimmerman for any reason- he could EASILY beat Zimmerman in a foot race, his number on his football jersey indicates he is a back or an end- do you understand how intense the competition is to make a football team in an urban area high school? He surely has 40 yd dash figures in the 4’s!
We don’t know who hit whom first but we have the closest eyewitness, confirmed by him being the first 911 call, placing Martin on top of Zimmerman striking him. Martin was thus not acting in self defense, at any time he could have just ran away but did not. AN HE WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST not the back, making it highly improbable he was in any stance of submission to Zimmerman.
You must resort to silly vague terms like “didn’t work out, someone ended up getting shot” which ultimately have no legal use here. You cannot commit assault and battery merely because you feel harassed by white devils, that does seem to be the sentiment going on here, that Zimmerman was all in the wrong for going after a black kid and whatever happened in the middle is irrelevant and if the outcome is a dead guy Zimmerman’s at fault.

Yet no evidence places Zimmerman pursuing merely from race, and if he’s being assaulted that is the unlawful activity that’s relevant in the eyes of the law- if that’s supported by evidence then it’s self defense.

But LOLing at what your theory still includes, that George Zimmerman, after calling police and asking them to come to the scene, decides to shoot this young man without due cause just because he’s racist. Boy that’s committed to the cause, hates blacks so much he wants to spend the rest of his life in prison for it and sets himself up just to do that.

Where is the logic in that?

Let me add something about this “happen in my family” stuff.

Martin was serving his third suspension this school year, which included the following offenses: Grafitti, possession of stolen property, possession of a burglary tool, possession of traces of marijuana, drug paraphenalia, excessive absenteeism and tardiness. Martin at age 17 had a fully tattooed arm and in other places, despite the requirement of being 18 to be inked unless having notarized legal authorization by parent, which my parents would have kicked my ass up and down the block for even asking them for.
While suspended from school for all the above Martin is allowed to not only watch the NBA all star game, but to go on the lark of a journey to wander through a strange neighborhood for the dire need o f skittles and iced tea without parental supervision of any kind.
No I’m sorry to inform you but at age 17 when I was misbehaving in somewhat similar fashion I was not allowed to leave my room, let alone the house, without direct parental supervision. You know, that grounded thing? I would have been denied television, the NBA All Star game would have been a carrot they would have offered me if I’d completed all the make up homework I’d been assigned to do. If I’d concocted a story that I NEEDED to go to 7/11 for skittles and iced tea, my parents would have wisely concluded this was just an excuse to get out of their view and control for a while and get into more mischief. If, during his third suspension, this kid was not GROUNDED and under full adult supervision at all times, he is as much a victim of their irresponsibility as anything else.

It seems they thought he was on vacation. The fact they are pissed has little relevance to anything.

-you know which racial epithet I am referring to, no need to repeat it
-if some weirdo wanna-be cop is following me around when I’m out of town visiting my dad, I very well might defend myself by approaching said weirdo and saying “WTF?”
-if I then end up getting shot by the weirdo and he gets off on some stand-your-ground technicality, my friends and family better get angry, and laws better change, because WHAT HAPPENED IS BULLSHIT

The “racial epithet” you refer to is not clearly even spoken by Zimmerman, there is a garbled utterance he makes and it’s not clear WHAT he said.
Even if he did refer to Martin as a “coon” (which is at this point unproven) does that prove the reason he was following him was purely racial? No.
You cannot dispute the absurdity of positing that Zimmerman would pursue and intend to harm this person solely for reason of the color of his skin, and call the police to come out and witness him doing so.

“What happened is bullshit”.

You know what happened?

Why bother with a trial for Zimmerman, we don’t need any stupid facts to get in the way of our beliefs.

Those advancing this bizarre version of this event, for whatever reason, should not delude themselves their efforts will improve race relations in America.

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